By Revd Zoe King
AS I am writing this, the news is full of distressing images coming back from Afghanistan and the collapse of a country.
As a child, Afghanistan would often be on the news as the Russians were fighting there, then later on, of course, the Americans and ourselves, and I experienced having to preach on Remembrance Sunday while my brother was serving there.
World politics is not my strength and it is not for me to comment on world policy, but whether a person of faith or not it is hard to comprehend how people can treat each other in such violent ways. All too often events like these lead to generalised statements in arguments over refugee and immigration policy in our own country.
Jesus was a refugee, a baby whose life was threatened by the powers at time – this small child dependent on his family for everything was considered such a threat his family fled to Egypt. How many people are in the same position now desperate to keep their children safe fleeing from a threat to their way of life?
In the church we pray continually for peace, at morning and evening prayer we pray the words of the Lord’s prayer which speaks not only of the kingdom of God we wish to come but asking for help to create it.
In addition to prayer though we do what little we can as Mother Theresa said: “Not all of us can do great things but we can do small things with great love.” As a benefice then we are praying hard but also one parishioner spotted the Oasis centre, in Cardiff, needed basic toiletries to give to refugees so we are collecting for them. A tube of toothpaste is a very small thing for one person, but huge for another.
I have no answers to the violence in the world, but I have a deep faith in the goodness of people and that is what we must cling to. Do what good we can where we can and if you have faith keep praying hard the world needs it.
